Posted: 5/30/03
Volunteer paints an escape
for children at Baptist shelter
By Miranda Bradley
Texas Baptist Children's Home & Family Services
ROUND ROCK–Clients at a Texas Baptist children's shelter have new visual images to spark their imaginations, thanks to the work of a local artist.
At the STARRY shelter operated by Texas Baptist Children's Home & Family Services, Mary Nicholson has painted a mural depicting fanciful images such as dogs wearing bandanas and shades, a cat grasping a fork and knife, sailboats racing off in the distance.
| Artist Mary Nicholson paints on the mural she recently created in the children's shelter operated by Texas Baptist Children's Home & Family Services in Round Rock. She intends the fanciful scene to bring joy to children who come from backgrounds of abuse and neglect. |
STARRY stands for Services To At-Risk and Runaway Youth. Through this program, Texas Baptists help provide a safe haven for children who have suffered abuse, neglect or family turmoil.
Nicholson, who has been drawing and painting for 40 years, studied art at the University of Texas at Austin. She eventually earned her degree in business and began working long hours in the corporate world.
“During my employment in the high-tech industry, I attended a seminar on career pathing,” she explained. “At that point, I realized I wanted to try my hand at running my own art business.”
So, after she was laid off a year and a half ago, she turned to her first love, painting murals.
“As long as I can remember, I've always thought bigger was better,” she said.
And that has been the driving force behind her latest creations. From a fake atrium covering a large bedroom ceiling to an intricate painting of a Japanese Garden in another residence, Nicholson has been making a name for herself and her company, Mural Concepts (http://www.muralconcepts.net ).
“People want something unique to add to their home or office environment,” she explained. “And they are willing to pay good money for a polished product.”
The STARRY mural is the first volunteer mural Nicholson has done.
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“I walked onto campus and asked if there was a need for anything like this,” she said. “Everyone was so nice and friendly, I felt this was where I was meant to paint.”
Childlike in its design, the painting depicts an outdoor picnic setting with a boy on a swing set with the sea in the distance. It took about 50 hours to complete.
“This is very important, because I want this painting to be the first thing children see when they walk in the doorâa little ray of light in their lives,” Nicholson said.
Children at the shelter often come with bruised bodies and even more wounded spirits. Some never have known their biological parents; others are afraid of them.
Nicholson hopes her art will help the children see the promise of a brighter tomorrow.
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